A watershed is simply an area of land that drains to a particular water body. Water flows across the land, underground, and through storm sewer systems to reach our streams and rivers. Each stream has its own watershed draining to it, and all the waterways in Montgomery County lead to the Delaware Bay, so we all live in the larger Delaware River Watershed.

The way watersheds work is what you do to the land, you do to the water. Pollution from the land washes into our waterways and eventually ends up in the Delaware River and Atlantic Ocean.

Everyone lives in a local watershed. Check out the maps of Pennsylvania and Montgomery County to figure out your watershed address.

Watersheds are natural systems that link the land and water resources, and the living organisms, including people, within its boundaries. How we live on the land affects the quality and quantity of water within the watershed. Want to join a local watershed group? Visit the Pennsylvania Directory of Watershed Organizations to find one near you.

Here are some steps you can take at home to protect water quality.

Stabilizing streambanks with shrubs and trees filters stormwater runoff and minimizes soil erosion, while providing excellent habitat for wildlife. Want to get involved in local streambank restoration efforts? Visit the Montgomery County TreeVitalize page for more information on local projects.

Bioengineering techniques use a combination of structural and biological methods to stabilize streambanks. For a simple guide to DEP requirements, download the Guidelines for Maintaining Streams In Your Community booklet.

An invasive species is one that has been introduced from an outside ecosystem and aggressively dominates a landscape, minimizing biodiversity. For PA identification and control resources, visit DCNR’s Invasive Plants.

Meadows versus conventional lawn can recharge far more rainfall. Native plants have deeper roots and often require less maintenance and fertilizer.

See: Landscaping with Native Plants in Pennsylvania.

State grants support local watershed protection from nonpoint source pollution. Learn more at the DEP Grants website.

Point Sources – permitted, easily identified discharges.

Nonpoint Sources – pollutants carried by runoff (fertilizers, sediment, salts, oils), typically the majority of watershed pollutant load.

See our list of local watershed organizations here. Pennsylvania Clean Water Academy courses are available to the public here.